What makes a great song.

 

Music, rhythms, timing, tempo, vocals, style, subject, lyrics, hooks, arrangements? Balance it out. Can you forgive bad music for great lyrics, forgive bad lyrics for great music?

For me, it's the music. Great lyrics can definitely enhance a good song, but I can never get into a bad song if it has great lyrics. The only exception to this rule for me is parody songs - those are obviously lyric-driven and often are terrible musically.

But within the musical aspect it can be many things. Most of the time for me, it's the guitar sound. But sometimes it can be something as nebulous as the "feel" or "atmosphere" of a song ("Disintegration" by The Cure comes to mind).

For me, I can't possibly say. Each song works on its own. Sometimes it's great music, sometimes great vocals, sometimes all of the above. I can say that they lyrics have never been the sole reason. There is no great song just because the lyrics are great. The lyrics can be bad with great music and still have it work. But you can't have bad music with great lyrics and still be a good song. That's why somebody invented poetry, because they couldn't play an instrument or they just sucked at music.

I agree that great lyrics by themselves can't salvage a crappy song. But I do have a personal musical subset of cr@ppy songs that have one really outstanding lyrical hook that keeps me from dismissing it outright.

 

I heard a good example of that last week on the radio. "Rockin' Into the Night" by .38 Special is a craptacular overblown arena anthem wannabe, to be sure, but I always really loved the lyric:

 

Well I ain't no New Messiah – But I'm close enough for rock and roll.

 

That lyric kicks ass.

 

Another one of those unbelievably metacool lyrics is form the otherwise ho-hum BOC's "Burning For You"

 

Time to play B-sides. . .

 

Those 4 words = brilliance.

 

I can't completely toss out songs like that when they have one wicked cool lyric even if the rest of the song is fairly insipid.

eh, sonic youth always had great one liners. I don't know, great lyric dudes mostly end up with minimal arrangements anyways to highlight the words. Musicianship is nice, but i'd take experimentation and originality over it. I don't want another band that sounds like U2.

Guitar, more specifically, a great riff. If the guitar doesn't grab me within the first 20 seconds, then I ain't feelin it.

I can forgive and ignore s***ty lyrics, but if the music is s***ty, I won't listen long enough to find out what you're singing about.

Vocal harmony, good guitar riffs or a catchy beat.

 

I heard a good example of that last week on the radio. "Rockin' Into the Night" by .38 Special is a craptacular overblown arena anthem wannabe, to be sure,

 

The harmony of the voices in the chorus makes that song catchy.

 

Another one of those unbelievably metacool lyrics is form the otherwise ho-hum BOC's "Burning For You"

 

The guitars in this song make this song catchy.

But you can't have bad music with great lyrics and still be a good song. That's why somebody invented poetry,

 

great line.

 

I remember a conversation between Joe Walsh and Steve Dahl. Steve was opening for Joe and later would come on stage for an encore. He was trying to find the lyrics to a James Gang tune Joe was planning (Walk Away). He told Joe he couldn't quite figure them out. Joe replied, Hay man, I wrote the song and I don't know the lyrics, that's back when I didn't care and now I just kind of slur them. Of course he was joking, but there was probably a lot of truth to it.

 

Some song writers are "lyric" and some are "musical". It is probably best when the two collide, (thinking of John - Topin)

What makes a great song.

 

Otis Redding.

Vocal harmony, good guitar riffs or a catchy beat.

The harmony of the voices in the chorus makes that song catchy.

The guitars in this song make this song catchy.

 

 

Harmony?? Pfft, you're lucky to find one good vocalist in a band nowadays, let alone another one to harmonize with.

Alice In Chains were popular partly because both Lane and Jerry were good vocalists and even better together.

Dope beat, preferably a sample, and a catchy hook.

Dope beat, preferably a sample, and a catchy hook.

 

Yes. He's talking about drugs.

No, it's the "preferably a sample" that has me confused.

No, it's the "preferably a sample" that has me confused.

 

Joe Sample. Outstanding jazz keyboardist and founding member of the Jazz Crusaders.

 

I'm impressed. The kid's got taste.

 

 

I was kidding, you old fogies...

Leave us alone.

 

 

 

 

Our oatmeal's getting cold.

I was kidding, you old fogies...

 

MC Sleepy's not down wit' da dope samples?!?

 

Wurd.

I was kidding, you old fogies...

 

 

I've been called an "old fogie"!!!

lyrics are s***. that's what I always tell my drummer anyway. I love bands where it's all about the music and the melody and if the lyrics are interesting, then bonus, but if not then who cares? The Beach Boys are probably my model - and what are those songs about, freakin surfing and girls. Early Beatles too - all songs about girls. Fine by me. I write a bunch of songs about sex because that's what's on my mind - but really it could be about taco bell for all I care - I like fun lyrics as long as they don't take themslves too seriously (Van Halen, Fountains of Wayne). Emo crap makes me sick - I don't care if your girlfriend left you.

Edited April 25, 200718 yr by longshot7